I've been obsessed lately with the idea of pausing a moment or two before jumping into the day. Before opening the laptop or getting ready for work, before taking care of kids or pets, taking a moment for yourself to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, sink into a favorite chair, and overlook the beautiful home you've worked so hard to create.

It could be a perfect chair on your porch you enjoy with your coffee. Or it could be a breakfast nook table and chairs that are a delight to eat a little breakfast over. The point is, it's worth treating one special spot in your home as your morning ritual pause place — to help you start the day off right, or as place to come back to if the day's going wrong. Each person must define for themselves the perfect pause spot — preferably cozy and maybe even with a bit of a view of nature. We found several inspiring areas in recent Apartment Therapy house tours that would be perfect pause spots: